What was Best Left Buried
by Karree Elaine
Summary: He couldn't keep from thinking about her. Her face. Her lips on his cheek. Meisner knows he has a mission to accomplish and a war to win, but his mind wanders when he's alone.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is along the current storyline. This piece is for my follower and fan, shepweir always, who like me is a huge Meisner fan. I was absolutely shipping him and Adalind in season 3, but he did what was for the greater good. Got to respect that. I'm sorry for such a good guy, because I believe he missed his chance with Adalind. This is my first Meisner POV. Let me know if you enjoy it and thanks for following :).

What was Best Left Buried

Here he lay in bed, thinking of her. Daydreaming of her was more to the point. Meisner thought he had put to rest those feelings that had almost distracted him from his mission in Europe. He could still remember Adalind's face at Diana birth, when she said goodbye and kissed him on the cheek, as well as when she asked bewildered why he wasn't going with them when they fled Europe. That moment as they drove to meet the next contact and plan her and Diana's escape, Meisner had almost abandoned his mission with one look at her face.

Now she was in the middle of this current conflict and seeing her again brought up desires that were best left buried. If possible, their situation was even more complicated. She had another child with a Grimm, and Meisner had sent Adalind's first child into hiding. He felt a need to explain that to her, since they had spoken, but that might compromise Diana's location. Sighing to himself, Meisner thought his life was one impossible situation after another. Deception was part of his mission but not part of the life he had hoped for. Adalind deserved better from him.

He was tired of this war, of constantly being sentinel for this organization. Still they needed someone to push back the tide of ever increasing Wesen threats in this world. When Meisner had assassinated the King, he thought there might be a break for him. However Schwarzkralle, or the Black Claw, had other thoughts. Their offensive had recently become extremely aggressive, perhaps without the Royals to keep them in check. Every action has consequence, he thought. Meisner had not considered how the Royals may have kept this war at bay for so long.

Then there was Adalind's situation with Burkhardt. Meisner dealt with the fallout of that tangled web everyday in his handling of Eve. A Zwillingsschwester Verfluchte, or entwining twin curse, was nothing to mess with. Adalind probably would never have attempted it if she hadn't believed that the Royals had Diana. Kelly Burkhardt had started something when she took Diana that messed her son's life up tremendously. No matter how well meaning her intentions were, Meisner was once again reminded of the consequences that occur when all actions have not been carefully considered.

There was a sudden knock on his door. "Yeah," he said while sitting up.

"We found out where he's going to be," was the messenger's concise report as he handed Meisner a GPS location of a restaurant here in Portland.

"We have one hour," Meisner stated as they exited the room.

* * *

Eve had been briefed and it was time to contact Nick. This assignment for Eve was in a very public place. Having a Grimm, as well as a member of the Portland PD, there was imperative. After speaking with Eve, Meisner knew this meeting would not be what Burkhardt was hoping for, but the answers he wanted didn't exist anymore. Eve was the mission and only the mission. There were no emotional attachments in her life anymore. There was no life for Eve from before her reconditioning, only memories that she no longer connected to. If Nick wanted remorse or even anger from her, he wouldn't get it. This was a test, not for Eve, but for Burkhardt. Let's hope he can handle it, Meisner thought.

Meisner sent him a text with the conditional where and when for meeting Eve. Now it was Meisner's job to evaluate him and make sure Adalind's son didn't lose his father. Talk about a conflict of interests, but Meisner was man enough to know what was the right thing to do!

Witnessing Eve and Nick's encounter, it went about as well as Meisner thought, as Burkhardt seemed very disappointed. There really was no help for that. Better for Nick that he put Juliette behind him.

Then the target made to leave and Eve did her job. In the next few seconds, Meisner gained new respect for this Grimm. Not only did he make quick work of the bodyguards, but in almost the same breath, he handled the police. Meisner could relate to his quick thinking and appreciated his value as a police officer. Adalind was in good hands. Conflicting emotions struggled within Meisner, that were hard for him to swallow. He was equally relieved and envious.

Taking out his phone, Meisner called him. "Yeah, Burkhardt," was Nick's response.

"That went well," Meisner informed him that he had witnessed everything as Nick glanced around looking for him.

"Meisner," Nick replied with understanding.

"The man is Samuel Rankin, one of the organizers for Black Claw. This was the one opportunity we had. The others are his bodyguards, you probably figured that one out," Meisner explained.

"A lot of innocent people could have been hurt," Nick pointed out in a voice that was less than pleased.

"That's why we wanted you to be there," Meisner countered.

"What the hell was this? Some kind of test?" Burkhardt made it clear he didn't appreciate this game.

"It was. I'll be in touch. Sorry about the mess," Meisner replied with a bit of sympathy because this life wasn't easy. Nick's only response was a sigh, then the conversation was over.

His need to see Adalind was even greater now, Meisner admitted to himself. Instead, he returned to his post and debriefed Eve. Sending her back to her cell, Meisner knew Eve would need rest because this war was just beginning!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I really do enjoy Meisner. I'm a little unusual for a female writer, because it's not about his attraction, it's about respect for the character. Having an analytical brian and being a bit of an adrenaline junkie, I'm thrilled with the 'Jason Bourne' feel I get from him. I wonder if he be Grimm or Wesen?

Chapter 2

Waiting in the bay for Burkhardt and Trubel, he knew this was the right step. Nick had taken an enemy into his protection with Adalind and been quick to act making an alliance with him to save Trubel. If Meisner's instincts about him were right, and they usually were, Burkhardt would be a very important asset. There was integrity about the man. He may not be experienced in this fight, but he was the kind of soldier they needed. Eve was the real litmus test, though. Her ability and history with him, gave her the proper prospective to judge. Meisner sighed. She wouldn't be easy on him, and Meisner hoped Burkhardt was up for it emotionally.

There was a lot that could be gleaned when people didn't know that someone was listening, so he withdrew into the shadowed wall along the side of the bay. The wait wasn't long, he realized as he heard Trubel's bike and another engine entering the bay. The automatic security closed the door as the interior lighting kicked on.

"Obviously, we're not alone," Burkhardt stated cooly upon exiting his vehicle. Meisner appreciated his calm yet alert stance instead of overreaction.

"No," Meisner replied stepping out from the shadows. "You're not," he stated. "There was no other way, but you proved yourself." Meisner felt some explanation for the night before was due the man.

"To who?" Nick asked not quite offended, but on guard.

"Eve," Meisner supplied. Good, he thought. At least there's acceptance beginning in Nick's eyes. Meisner then turned entering the compound while they followed. First, they stopped by Trubel's quarters.

"This is my room," she informed Nick.

"This is where they put you?" Burkhardt was trying to understand Trubel's abrupt conscription and reconcile it with her commitment to their organization presently. He probably reasoned kidnapping your future agents was counterproductive. Well, Meisner himself had walked that road. It wasn't easy to digest, but he had accepted it.

"This is where they put all of us," Meisner corrected him. Their methods were not diplomatic, this agency. At least Meisner was doing things a little differently today and he hoped Nick could appreciate that.

"Who's they?" The police detective in Nick was trying to get to the bottom of it all, but Meisner didn't even know all the answers.

"A branch of the fedral government. Don't try to find it. It doesn't exist," he emphasized.

"So, I suppose, I've never seen any of this," Burkhardt returned knowingly. Yes, he would be of value. Smart, quick, and decisive. Plus he had a moral compass which Meisner doubted those in charge had. "Where's Eve?" Nick inquired.

Motioning for Nick to follow him, Meisner walked out of the room as Trubel said, "I'll be here."

"So Renard told me you worked for the resistance," Nick started inquisitive.

"I did, but this is much bigger than that," Meisner explained.

"How high up does this go?" Burkhardt was ever the detective.

"I don't know, but as you can tell, we're not without funding and don't ask me where that comes from either cause I don't know," Meisner explained stopping in front of Eve's quarters. "She's inside. I'll give you a few minutes," he finished sympathetically and hit his hand upon the door signaling the guest.

Meisner heard Eve's "Enter" and moved on. Now it was up to them.

Unbidden, Adalind's face came to him. It wasn't the first time he wondered where her place was in this mess. She had been Nick's enemy at their son's conception, but Meisner understood how her beauty and her heart could sway a man. What he hoped was that she wouldn't pay for Eve's return by forfeiting the relationship Burkhardt and her had forged. As much as Meisner envied the man's place in her life, Adalind and her son needed Nick. Maybe it was time to speak with Adalind to make sure she was okay, Meisner thought. Then blowing out a breath, he knew that wasn't a good idea. Being around Adalind wasn't safe for his resolve to do the best for her no matter the cost to himself.

When he returned to command Trubel asked, "Is he with her now?" Meisner nodded and began monitoring for possible Black Claw insurgents in the middle east. It wasn't long before Eve led Burkhardt into the room.

"This is one of HW's command centers," Meisner pointed out.

"There are more?" Nick seemed taken by surprise.

"Oh, yeah. This is a war. It's happening all over the world," Meisner continued.

"And we're fighting it," Trubel explained further.

"Take a look at this," Meisner said indicating the map he pulled up. "The hot spots of Wesen uprisings; Brazil, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Syria, Yemen, Pakistan, Ukraine."

"That's all Wesen related?" Nick was trying to wrap his head around the scope of this.

"All of it," Trubel confirmed with a nod.

"There are people displaced all over the world because of what they're doing," Meisner stated.

"No one understands the real reason behind it," Eve chimed in which was the right tactic. If Nick was going to be able to work with their group, he'd have to receive information not only from himself or Trubel, but from Eve as well.

"Which is what?" Nick inquired of her.

"A world run by Wesen. Hitler tried once. Now Black Claw is trying again," Eve expounded, as Nick's eyes flew back to the world map with many indications of just how big this conflict was. This was a lot for Burkhardt to process, but there was one more service Meisner wanted to do him.

"Let me show you something," Meisner said leading him out to his mother's gave. With a laconic explanation as to why they had taken her head and when they recovered her body, Meisner indicated where Kelly was buried. Stressing how much they needed him in this fight, Meisner left Nick alone to say his goodbyes.

"Is he going to be okay?" Trubel queried watching Nick from the side entrance. That's one thing Meisner liked about Trubel. Her loyalty was admirable in someone so young. Burkhardt seemed to inspire much in this young woman. She had insisted Nick be brought into their circle and Meisner had agreed.

"He will be," Meisner reassured her.

Eve, however, was less convinced. Later after Burkhardt had left, she said, "I don't think he's ready. He's still too emotional."

Meisner didn't agree. Sometimes Eve was too detached, suggesting some extreme measures including reconditioning Nick. No, that would not do when he was a father and the protector of Adalind in her powerless state. Burkhardt needed to keep his attachments to his family and friends. Meisner's gut feeling was that Nick just had to work through this. He'd come around, especially knowing what they were up against.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Another night alone with thoughts he couldn't get away from. On the run from the Verrat, protecting her and her returning the favor. Both Meisner and Adalind knew if she was taken to the castle, when she gave birth would be the last time she'd ever see her child if they even showed her the baby. Mind returning to present, Meisner covered his face with his hands. He was no better than the Royals because he continued to keep her from that child. Even if it was for the best, he would never be able to explain. A pair of large blue eyes looking at him with true admiration haunted him at any moment he was alone.

Suddenly, Trubel opened his door. "What?" He quickly asked as he sat up. Trubel didn't normally interrupt his solitude.

"You need to see this!" Trubel replied returning back in the direction of command as he followed.

Sitting at the center interface, Trubel pulled up a picture. While zooming in to a particular man, she started, "This unidentified man was spotted in London on July 13th. This," she continued replacing the picture with that of a derailed train, "is thirty minutes later, just outside the city. Fifty-seven injured. Seventeen killed. Now one of the dead was William Fennel, a judge who sentenced two black claw soldiers to prison." Bringing up a video, Trubel proceeded to outline two other sightings of the man both with catastrophic results and precise targets. Meisner respected that Trubel was onto something.

"Where is he now?' Meisner queried with intentions of apprehending him before his next hit.

Glancing up with an uneasy face she said simply, "Here." Yet another picture appeared on the main screen as she continued, "PDX surveillance found him at 6:57 last night."

A sickening thought pushed into his mind of all the Black Claw plans Burkhardt had foiled. If it was discovered where the Grimm lived, Adalind and his son would be in danger as well as Nick himself. This operative of Black Claw had proved he cared little for any collateral damage he might cause. "Do we know what flight he was on?" Meisner inquired sternly.

"Not yet. We still haven't established an identity," Trubel responded.

From right behind them, Eve stated, "I can't take him out until I know who he is." She had that stealthy and unnerving habit of appearing out of nowhere, which made her excellent at what she did.

"We lost track of him after that," Trubel admitted.

"So how many will die before we find him?" was Eve's painfully obvious rhetorical question.

"We can't wait. We need to know where Burkhardt and the others stand," Meisner said firmly. There was too much at stake and too many lives in the balance to humor this Grimm and his gang any longer. When Trubel looked at him, Meisner nodded once to send her out after each of them.

* * *

They fought hard to win this BC location. Meisner was unable to take one man alive, which was their goal. He needed a good source of information, not that one of these would easily give it up, he thought with frustration. These soldiers seemed to have a death wish, with good reason.

Trubel erupted breathlessly into the room. "Were you able to take anyone alive?" He desperately inquired while Trubel caught her breath.

"I tried," she replied between gulps of air, "but they just kept coming. They wouldn't stop."

Eve coolly stated from across the room, "I got one."

Doing a quick scan of the room for signs of life, he asked, "Where?" Eve motioned with her hand from her right to left and a shuffling noise accompanied a man who slid into the room on his side gasping. "Will he be able to talk," Meisner asked skeptical. Eve was not gentle.

Tilting her head in that robotic way of hers she responded, "Eventually."

Meisner pursed his lips. Staying here for the interrogation was not an option if their prisoner needed time to recover. "I'll take him with us."

After the ride back to HW, Meisner gave the man half an hour's respite then the three of them entered the interrogation room. Meisner slipped the hood off his head, the prisoner shifted eyes from him to the surroundings and back to Meisner. "I'm going to ask you a few questions. If you don't cooperate, someone else will ask you questions. Will you cooperate?" Meisner's succinct stipulations made it clear cooperation would be less painful.

All the man said, with Wesen eyes glowing, was, "Occultatum Libera."

"I don't think he's going to cooperate," Trubel observed. Meisner sighed, not really surprised.

"He's all yours," Meisner said to Eve over his shoulder. "I'm getting some coffee," he stated as he left the room. The man would willingly participate after Eve was finished. She was the reason BC soldiers had been warned against being taken alive. Meisner _almost_ felt sorry for him. However, when he considered the possible targets, all pity fled. Adalind and her son would be safe, he vowed.

Returning to the interrogation room as Eve was wrapping up her painful lesson in sensory deprivation, Meisner asked, "How long is he going to take?"

"Depends on how much information you want," Eve coldly examined her specimen.

"I want all of it," he responded without hesitation.

"Then we'll leave him alone a while with his thoughts," she replied grasping the man's chin. One got the distinct impression Eve enjoyed her game of cat and mouse. Trubel looked like she sort of pitied the mouse, as they all left the room. One hour would probably do it.

An hour's worth of reflection was not good for a long time soldier. Four years ago, Meisner lost a woman he loved more than himself to the Royals by a slow and painful death. Believing his heart had died that day with her, Meisner was reluctant to admire Adalind when they fled the hotel where she was staying. Adalind was more than beautiful. Even pregnant, no one compared. Sure she was pampered, but as he helped her and saw her true vulnerability, he was enchanted. Meisner discovered his heart was not as dead as he once believed. He may never have her, but he would protect her none the less. Shaking off his thoughts, Meisner went back to work.

"Has it been long enough?" Eve and Trubel stood outside the man's cell.

"If you don't want him to lose his mind," Eve replied with the closest thing to a smirk she was capable of.

Eve returned his hearing first, then sight, then speech. That really was all it took, but the crazed man could only reveal one significant piece of information. A name Meisner knew well. Lucien Petrovich!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Meisner observed Trubel with a contemplative face, heading straight for Eve's quarters. They worked well together on missions and at command, but he had seen Trubel's disturbed looks at Eve's methods. Eve's effectiveness and single minded focus made Meisner appreciate that about her even if her ways were unnerving. Trubel however had her doubts, obviously. When Trubel did leave Eve's room, she was not pleased.

"Anything I should know about?" He questioned.

"You just can't get an answer out of her without coming away raw," Trubel fumed. "I tried to let her know I wasn't trying to kill her that night and she corrected me saying that was Juliette of course. Also I wanted to know how she felt about Nick, Adalind, and Kelly to which she replied that Juliette had problems with them, not her. If she's not Juliette, then just give me a straight 'Eve' answer," she huffed. "Then I told her I owed Juliette because she was nice to me and Eve told me that _Juliette_ would have killed me too."

For all Trubel's violent past, she was still young and emotional at times. "What did you expect?" He queried. "You think we would recondition the deadliest Hexenbiest out there just to make her sensitive and tactful?" He stated pointedly. "Eve is a weapon. You don't cuddle up with a sword," he finished driving home his point. Trubel nodded with understanding if not satisfaction.

She returned to command where she took up surveillance again. That's when an automatic alert flashed on-screen from a Czech police report of the murder of an antiques dealer. In the picture of the body, against the far wall, was the mark for BC. Meisner said, "If Black Claw marked their killing of an antiques dealer..."

"They were looking for something but didn't get it. It's a warning to whoever has it," Trubel continued for him.

"It says she was found in the house of Joseph Nebojsa, who died several months ago," Meisner finished.

Once again Eve's voice came from behind, "Do we know who Joseph Nebojsa is?"

"No, but we're going to find out," Meisner replied.

Trubel's phone went off. "It's Nick," she responded.

Meisner said, "Take it."

"Nick... Want some back up?... Coming your way," Trubel answered. Then she headed out to meet Burkhardt. An hour later, Trubel called him asking permission for Nick and Monroe to come to HW. They were in possession of one of Joseph Nebosja's Grimm books. These books must have been what BC was killing to find. Burkhardt, Trubel, and a man he assumed was Monroe arrived several minutes later.

"Meisner, this is Monroe," Trubel explained.

"Good to finally meet you," he responded to the dazed man who simply nodded in return.

"And I think you... sort of know," Trubel stated indicating Eve.

Monroe finished, "Eve."

"Monroe," Eve returned coolly.

"You're looking very...good for someone we all thought was dead and gone. Not that coming back from it is a bad thing. I guess I actually owe you a thanks for," Monroe tried to say hesitantly, but Eve cut in.

"No you don't," she said flatly. "Is that the book?"

"Yeah," Monroe replied putting the book on the table and leafing gently through the pages as demonstration.

Nick addressed Meisner, "Do you know about the Grimm books?"

"Yeah. I've seen a few," he replied. These journals had been used for many brutal years against Wesen. They were priceless and dangerous.

"Well, this one is pretty amazing even as far as Grimm books go," Monroe said.

After a few glances through the pages, Eve stated, "If there are nineteen more like this it would help replace what was lost when the trailer was burned down." She simply said without assuming responsibility, but Eve wouldn't if that's what they were expecting, Meisner thought. Burkhardt threw a glance at her and Monroe was stunned, even Trubel gave her a look.

"Yeah. A lot of irreplaceable history was destroyed and not by accident," Monroe replied pointedly.

Meisner decided to break the tension, "Black Claw is willing to kill to get to these books. They must consider them dangerous."

"One of Black Claw's missions is to eradicate all things Grimm, including Grimms," Eve explained further.

Speaking to Meisner, Nick asked, "Look, can you get us the hundred thousand dollars Monroe's uncle wants? We only have twenty-four hours." A sizable amount, Meisner considered. That wouldn't be easy even in their situation here at HW.

"Actually twenty-two an a half and my uncle will not hang around," Monroe stipulated.

"I'll see what I can do, but this is government money from a fund that doesn't exist, so I can't make any promises," Meisner responded.

* * *

The situation was escalating. Now Monroe's uncle, the source of the items belonging to this Nebojsa, had been murdered. These books must be very important. The Claw had sent Czech agents across seas to pursue whatever Monroe's uncle brought with him, but Burkhardt's investigation found that no large baggage had arrived with the man. Meisner was uneasy. The Claw was getting closer to Burkhardt, his work, his friends, and... Adalind and her son. Determining to do some unofficial surveillance of his own, Meisner wouldn't sit on the sidelines any longer.

Nick and Monroe arrived back at HW just has Berlin branch supplied two names that were pulled up on the the main screen. "What is this, a Wesen database?" Monroe asked sounding amazed.

Meisner pointed out, "You're in it." Monroe gave him a leery look as Eve detailed the information they had gathered about the two BC agents. "HW in Berlin already connected them to the killing of the antiques dealer in Prague," Meisner supplied.

"Now they're here," Nick stated and Trubel nodded.

Meisner said to Trubel, "See if you can find out when they arrived." Burkhardt's phone rang.

Answering his phone, Nick said, "Hank... Now we have ID on both of them, Krisztian Ajandok and Oscar Vasicek... Yeah... You got this one?" Ending the conversation, he faced the screen again.

"I got 'em. Time stamp on this is 11:38 last night at PDX," Trubel detailed as the surveillance photo appeared on-screen.

"See if they rented a car or booked a flight out," Eve told Trubel. Then looking up at Nick, she said, "That will tell us if they're still in Portland." Burkhardt gave her a long, hard look. Of course he knew the reason she asked for those details. He was a detective and a very good one from his record. Eve's comment was condescending even for her. Meisner would have to speak with her again. Their alliance with Burkhardt was tenuous at best and they couldn't afford her giving offense, which Eve excelled at.

Nick's phone rang again. "Wu... And who was it?... Alright, where's it coming in?... Thanks," he finished hanging up. "You're uncle had the books shipped," Nick told Monroe.

"That's why he gave you twenty-four hours to think about it," Monroe replied.

Nick explained, "We couldn't find a shipping order in the hotel room and Felix would have needed that to pick up the books."

"These guys have taken it," Monroe concluded indicating the photos of the two men.

Trubel chimed in, "Got something on the car. Ford Expedition rented in the name of Krisztian Ajandok. Hasn't been returned."

"Then they're on their way to get the books," Eve stated obviously.

"The cargo company doesn't open up until 9 am tomorrow morning, but they're not going to wait for that," Nick devised. Turning to Meisner as they readied to leave he said, "Thanks for your help."

"I'll be asking for yours soon enough," Meisner informed Nick as they walked away.

Trubel jumped up saying, "I'm going too," but Meisner restrained her.

"No. We're not going to risk you over these books," he stated firmly. Trubel looked as if she would argue, clearly torn between loyalties, but decided against it. Later, Burkhardt called saying they had recovered all the books, so Trubel left to meet him. When she returned some time after, Trubel's face held such awe. I wonder if Burkhardt found something bigger that a few Grimm journals, Meisner asked himself.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: With all the Nadalind focus this past week, Meisner didn't get much time and, when he did, it was all business. Still that doesn't mean his main drive and thoughts behind the scenes weren't slanted a certain blond's direction.

Chapter 5

"Hanano's been here a few days. If he's moving, the cameras should have picked him up by now," Eve stated, arms crossed. It was her aggravated pose, Meisner observed.

Trubel entered the room with, "What's going on?"

"We haven't been able to locate him," he supplied. Meisner felt that now familiar lurch in his gut when he imagined Hanano's possible targets. One vulnerable Hexenbiest and her son were nearly on his mind constantly. Perhaps it was guilt that drove him, guilt over Diana. Still, the feeling he remembered when Adalind looked up at him had nothing to do with guilt.

Eve cut into his distraction saying, "No other sitings of Marwan Hanano since he arrived in Portland."

"This guy looks different in every photo. He's going to be tough to find," Trubel pointed out.

"We need to know why he's here. Every place he goes; London, Kiev, Osaka, people die. If Black Claw brought him to Portland, it's not for a vacation," Eve said adamantly. Meisner's lips pursed into a thin line with his thoughts.

"They could know about you," Trubel suggested as Eve glanced her way. "You could be the target."

"It's possible," he replied.

A small smirk found its way onto Eve's face as she responded, "Then the sooner I find him the better." Meisner knew she would enjoy that very much.

Meisner turned to Trubel, "It's time Burkhardt returned a favor. Take everything we have to him. We need more eyes on the ground." It would be good for Nick to be alerted to guard his family. Trubel left immediately and returned about an hour later while Eve and Meisner kept up surveillance.

* * *

The next morning, it was Eve that broke the silence with, "I got something." Abandoning the screen he was watching, Meisner joined her as she detailed, "An APB just came in. Hanano was spotted near Lovejoy Fountain Park."

"Did they take any action?" He inquired. They better not have scared this guy off.

Trubel replied, "No, but Hanano did."

"There's a report of a cop being attacked four blocks away. His partner's the one who responded to the APB," Eve finished.

"Did he kill the cop?" Things could get even more complicated if that was the case.

"No," Eve said. "Reported as an assault."

"Bring up all surveillance in the vicinity. Let's figure out where this guy went," Meisner ordered. At least Hanano's last known location was no where near Burkhardt's home.

Two hours later, Eve once again had significant intell, "Look at this."

"What is it?" Meisner joined her.

Placing a recent still shot on the main screen, Eve informed them, "Hanano, seven minutes ago." The BC terrorist, sporting blond hair, was riding a bike.

"He dyed his hair," Trubel observed.

"He knows he's been made," Eve replied.

Trubel looked at him, "Maybe he's on the move."

"Let's see where he might be going. Mark his radius," he stated.

"Twenty miles per hour is about as fast as he's going to ride," Eve figured.

"Mark it in ten minute intervals," he commanded. His heart dropped when thirty minutes ride could put him uncomfortably close to the paint factory. Then the previous siting, from earlier in the day, appeared on the map.

"That's where he attacked the cop this morning," Trubel said.

"He's headed back in the same direction," Eve observed as Meisner exhaled his relief.

Then he suggested, "Let's find out what's happening in that area.

Several minutes later, it was Trubel this time who informed them, "There's a rally today." That must be it, but who's the target, Meisner wondered.

"When," asked Eve.

"Now," was Trubel's reply.

Eve looked at him saying, "There will be a crowd. I'm going."

Catching Eve before she left, Meisner ordered, "If he's there, don't engage."

"What if he has a bomb?" She returned.

"Well, do what you have to, but we need everyone he's connected to," he reasoned. Trubel made a move to follow Eve, but Meisner restrained her, "No, you've got another job."

"Where?" Trubel inquired.

"Santiago. Pack your bags. You're out of here in thirty. They'll fill you in when you get there," he commanded.

"You need me here," she demanded.

"They need you there more," he countered. Trubel continued to stare at him somewhat rebellious before she left still giving him that look. What was her need to stay? Meisner speculated maybe something _was_ happening with Burkhardt. There was a bond between those two that even reconditioning could not brake. He remembered his own surveillance the night before. He had needed to make sure she was okay, so he had headed out of the compound...

Evening found Meisner in the industrial quarter of the city, surveillance equipment aimed at the building he had become very familiar with over the last few weeks. Burkhardt had come home and Meisner should leave the object of his thoughts to Nick's care, but he couldn't leave just yet. At that moment, he saw Burkhardt pull out again guessing that a homicide had Nick going back out for a little while until Meisner spotted her. She had opened a window to follow the direction of Nick's car. Meisner magnified the scope times ten to focus on her face. Adalind looked so lost and forlorn, tears streaming down her cheeks. She stared at the retreating vehicle till it was completely out of view before dropping her head, Meisner saw her sob as she closed the window. Where the hell was Burkhardt going?...

Though Meisner had waited till dawn, Nick did not return.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: We got a little more interesting Meisner time this week. Him telling off Renard was my favorite part. I predict the show will play Sean as power hungry and going along with Black Claw right up until Renard turns them all over to HW ;). Also I got to say for all my follow adrenaline junkies, Netflix Daredevil season 2 is out this coming Fri. I'm sooo geeked. I love Charlie Cox as Matt Murddock :P. Nobody does a conflicted man with a very dark and dangerous side better. You might have to look for me on the Daredevil boards for awhile.

Chapter 6

It had been an hour since Eve left for the rally and it was all over the news that a mayoral candidate had been assinated. Why? To what end?' Well, Eve would yield results. She always did. That's when he heard her enter the room. As he looked up at her, she threw a cell phone onto the table. "It's Marwan Hanano's," Eve stated.

"How'd you get it?" He inquired.

"He dropped it when he was hit by a bike," she replied which made Meisner smile with a small chuckle. Eve could still surprise him.

"Does he know you have it?" Meisner asked.

"No," she was quick to reply. "He won't be awake for a while."

"The names and numbers on it will fill in a lot of blanks for us," he responded with satisfaction. Taking a breath, he asked, "Where is he?"

"Paramedics took him to Overton Medical," she promptly replied.

"We have to get the phone back to him. He mustn't suspect it was out of his control," Meisner stated. This might finally be the opportunity they had been waiting for to crack BC wide open. The prospect was invigorating.

A small smile on Eve's face revealed she had similar thoughts, "When he wakes up, he'll call somebody. That could lead us to the Black Claw cell that set this up."

"Make a copy of the SIM card, put it back in. Make sure the phone and card are clean of prints and we'll see where the son of a bitch takes us," he replied grimly. It was time to take a chunk out of this rogue Wesen organization. Eve left again, not twenty minutes later, to return Hanano's phone and revive him. With Burkhardt gone God knows where, Meisner needed to check on Adalind. Still the sooner he got to the people behind the BC cell here in Portland, the safer she would be, Meisner told himself.

Hanano's cell didn't activate until Eve's return. "He's making a call," she stated as a beep alerted them. Hanano and his contact exchanged a few words.

When they made arrangements to pick up him, Meisner said, "Track his phone. He'll lead us to them."

Exactly twenty minutes later, the terrorist emerged from the hospital. At first he seemed to mill around, then he took off running, but running from whom?

"From whoever came to pick him up," Eve suggested.

"No, something else is going on," Meisner decided. The signal began to move erratically.

"He's fighting. Whoever was after him must have caught him," she observed.

What? Anger coiled tight in him. "Who's screwing this up?!" Then Hanano stopped.

"He's not moving. He could be dead," Eve speculated.

"All this for nothing!" Meisner exclaimed as he began to leave the room.

Eve called after him, "We still have his contacts."

Halting, he said over his shoulder, "And once they've realized he's been compromised, they're going to change it all. Tell me if he moves." Shut down, after all the work they've done to put this together, he fumed to himself.

An hour later, Eve knocked on his door. "Yeah?"

"Marwan's cell is moving," she announced.

"To where?" he inquired.

"To Renard's police precinct," Eve informed him. Did they arrest him? Or put him in the morgue? Either way BC would write him off, if they hadn't already. With Burhardt out of town, it had to have been Renard's call. It was time he payed the high and mighty prince a visit.

* * *

Waiting till Renard was the only one left walking to his car, Meisner said from the shadows, "You screwed it up." When Sean stopped to look in his direction, Meisner came into the light.

"What are you talking about?" Renard asked in his smug way.

"We put him in the hospital for a reason. We needed his contacts. The accident that put him in the hospital, that wasn't an accident. We had his phone, we had every contact, every call, everyone he was working with," Meisner outlined in a voice filled with accusation.

"You know what he did," Sean snapped.

"We needed him alive," Meisner stressed.

"Then you should have told me," Sean countered.

"We didn't know you were going to kill him," Meisner responded.

"You're the one who told me about him," Renard accused him.

"How did you even know he was at a hospital?" Meisner questioned.

"I got a tip," Renard simply stated.

"From who?" Meisner demanded. "Who could give you that kind of tip?! You were setup!"

"By whom?" It was Sean's turn to demand.

"The people that brought him here, Black Claw. You destroyed months of work," Meisner said forcefully.

Nearly cutting him off, Renard growled, " Then you should have said something."

Taking a breath, Meisner sourly said, "Well this was bad, for all of us." With that he marched away. Only one thing gave him satisfaction, Meisner realized, at least Marwan Hanano wouldn't be getting his hands on her.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Most of you followers of this fic probably thought this story abandoned, but not so. The show has been lacking Meisner, IMO. For a while it seemed as though Eve ran HW and I think there were some repercussions to his absence. Eve's reconditioning is starting to slip. Juliette is poking through and if someone doesn't get a handle on her, she might rediscover her vengeful motivations from last season. (I can't seem to voice these concerns without getting slandered on social media :O).

Chapter 7

He sneaked up to the darkened safe-house. Unfortunately, Meisner had a good idea what he would find, but when the exterior lights flooded the yard he hesitated briefly. It was most likely the motion sensor on the lights. He had been too disconnected with Diana and Adalind's situation while gone following a lead on Lucien. Renard hadn't given him much option when he assassinated their only opportunity to snare Lucien while he was still in Portland. Weeks of travel had revealed nothing but smoke. Lucien was seen as far as London, but then it was like he disappeared and no matter what method Meisner had used, kind or not so kind, Lucien's location remained unknown. Now he was facing this disaster!

Eve had been investigating BC's activities in Portland while he was away. However her findings had become more and more alarming. Not only was Renard actively working with BC, but a few days ago Eve reported Diana's guardians weren't responding and were suspected as dead. Diana could be missing in action. What Meisner couldn't figure out was how anyone had taken her without her agreeing to go? Diana wasn't one to do what she didn't want to do and she had the means to shut down anyone who stood in her way. If one considered her naivety, then a possibility began to crystallize. Diana may have been lied to and tricked.

Carefully entering the front door, not bothering with the lights, Meisner surveyed the scene. Proceeding slowly through the thick heavy smell of death, he wasn't surprised to discover the mangled bloody bodies of the guardians. The place was ransacked and he had to step over toys and objects strewn all over the floor. Heading straight for Diana's room, his heart lurched when he looked about the little girl's space. Several child's drawings graced one wall and, if one looked closely, you could make out a Hexenbiest with light hair in Woge. Adalind. His heart accepted Diana's attempts to remember her mother. A mother he had kept her from. No matter the problems with the safety for both of them, not to mention Adalind's son, Meisner would never feel good about keeping them apart. He moved to the closet where much of Diana's clothes still hung. His gaze fell on the bed where a storybook of the Brother's Grimm lay. The resistance worked with several Grimms and the little girl's understanding of their value was a part of her education. They had tried to organically introduce them to her. What kind of thoughts were BC putting in her formative mind now? Meisner asked himself as his flashlight shown on the four painted lines that were BC's calling card.

From the kitchen, the sound of an opening door registered and immediately he switched off the flashlight. Creeping back into that room, he saw a man standing near the door in shadow. The guy switched on the light and, advancing towards Meisner, he asked in a deep voice, "Find what you're looking for?"

Divesting himself of his jacket in anticipation of a fight, Meisner demanded, "Tell me where she is. It could save a lot of bloodshed."

"Not yours," the man growled and Woged into a Hundjäger lunging for him. It was but a few moments exchanging blows when Meisner realized his opponent's skill level, military hand to hand training with a specialty in martial arts. In a split-second of distraction, he found his hands bound in a classic immobilization technique. The Hundjäger had given him a knee to the gut causing him to bend over, then yanked his shirt over his head and twisted it around his wrists. Taking a couple of more hits, he was then thrown across the room. About to bounce back up from the floor, Meisner spotted another shadow behind his attacker. The guy picked up a broken piece of furniture and brandished his weapon for a blow just to lose his hand, much to his surprise. Meisner had to give it to the guy for not yelling out at the amputation. He turned on the figure behind him, only to find Trubel's machete buried into his abdomen. Returning to his human form, he slumped to the floor.

"Oh my God, it reeks in here," Trubel expressed with a wrinkled nose in her irreverent way as Meisner rose. "Sorry I'm late. I had to make sure there were only three of them."

"There were two more?" He asked while retrieving his shirt.

"There were," Trubel replied nonchalant. Why hadn't he been alert to their presence? Was he slipping? Perhaps this mission was too close to home. Diana was too precious to him for Meisner to let his guard down now! Taking in a deep breath, he focused on her recovery.

"They took Diana," he detailed while sliding his arms back into the shirt.

"Yeah, I figured," she responded while glancing about the place.

"We're going to need fingerprints," he stated. Trubel reached down and untangled the disembodied hand from the makeshift weapon.

"I'll get the other two on the way out," she replied and headed out the door. For all Meisner's experience in this fight, Trubel could still teach him a thing or two about not over thinking the situation. It was good that one of them was detached enough to do their job properly.

Something caught his attention on the floor and he stooped to get it. A crumpled printer's copy of a surveillance picture of Diana, probably snapped on the rare occasion her guardians had taken her to the park. Sighing to himself, Meisner observed, "This is going to get ugly."

* * *

Once again walking through the halls of Portland's branch of HW, Trubel and him headed straight for Eve's quarters. She answered the door and observed, "You're back."

Without hesitation Trubel expained, "Black Claw found the safe-house, killed the guardians."

"They have Diana," Meisner continued.

"They brought Diana here for Adalind," Eve replied.

This was new. Eve hadn't shown precognitive abilities before. "How do you know?" Meisner inquired and watched her closely.

Eve's face twisted slightly in disgust as she responded, "I think I just connected with her." She turned going further back into her room as Meisner felt an unease. Eve usually didn't show emotion in regards to anything from her former life. Something was up. It had been reported that Adalind's true self had returned and Meisner, for one, was grateful. The situation was getting even more dangerous and she needed to defend herself and her family if things took a turn for the worse. Why had Eve reacted that way about Adalind and Diana?

Following her inside, he saw that Eve's mirror was cracked in the pattern of a skull. "She did that?" he queried pointing to the broken glass.

"Yeah, and I saw her," she replied in her flat voice. Maybe that revulsion he witnessed was just his imagination because Eve seemed her normal unaffected self at the moment.

"Okay... How did that happen?" Trubel asked of Eve completely baffled.

"I don't know," she answered with a slight shake of her head. "It must have something to do with Adalind turning into Juliette and then Juliette turning into Adalind," she continued with a straight face that held a hint of awe.

"So, you sort of got your wires crossed," Trubel concluded.

"Something like that. This little girl has a lot of power. I just felt some of it and it felt like grabbing hold of a lighting bolt," Eve expounded with more than her usual feeling, but Meisner could only sense her apprehension.

"You think Diana's reaching out to Adalind?" he tried to clarify.

"More like demanding," she supplied.

Meisner threw a glance at Trubel. "We've gotta tell Nick," Trubel stated with worry.

"Make the call," he ordered.

In thirty minutes, Nick and Hank arrived. Meeting them in the hallway, Meisner started in, "Black claw has Diana."

"We're pretty sure they brought her here to Portland," Trubel continued.

Eve threw her a look, which once again made Meisner uneasy, as if she thought Trubel's information was incomplete. "To get to Adalind and you. Now that she's a Hexenbiest again, she's valuable," Eve explained.

"And she's vulnerable," Meisner elaborated further. What was he feeling from Eve? Meisner asked himself. Animosity?

Trubel nodded saying, "A Hexenbiest, a Zauberbiest, and their kid. That's pretty intense." Burkhardt scowled at the information. Good, Meisner thought. It was time for him to protect Adalind no matter the cost.

"Adalind would never leave Kelly," he insisted.

Meisner gritted his teeth as he heard Eve respond, "That doesn't mean she won't take him." Was she intentionally putting a wedge between the two of them? To what purpose?

"I'm not going to lose my son," Burkhardt replied in anger.

Meisner intervened by saying, "We find Diana. We stop it NOW." Hank's phone rang as Meisner spoke his last words.

"Griffin," was Hank's answer. "Okay, where?... Be there in twenty." With that he glanced at Burkhardt, "We've got a body."

"We've got to move on this," Meisner stressed. "The information we have is going to get old very fast."

"Do it. Do whatever you have to do," Burkhardt stated and turned to leave as Eve called out.

"Burkhardt..." she went over to her former lover. Meisner didn't like this new initiative for Burkhardt's well being. "I will do everything I can to keep Kelly safe, but don't trust Adalind. She may no longer be in control," he heard her instruct Nick. Meisner had a bad premonition. Eve should be concerned for all persons involved. She should be concerned for Adalind in this danger, that is if her training was intact. A red light of warning surfaced from his subconsciousness and a new fear took shape. She may no longer be completely Eve anymore.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Eve and him were at command trying to hash out who the missing BC leaders were, in particular the top man in charge of the whole operation. Trubel got a message that Burkhardt and two guests had arrived, going to escort them in. Perhaps the detective had more news. The mayoral election was just hours away and with Renard playing on BC's team, the city of Portland may soon be under complete BC control. Time was running out.

"The Claw has been moving a lot of people around the northwest. Lucien's been sighted in Seattle," he stated to her, thinking that man was slippery than an eel, the way he moved in and out of the country going back and forth to Europe.

"They've lost a lot people, too," Eve replied.

"And they're replacing them just as fast as we're taking them out," he countered. At that moment, Burkhardt, Monroe and the Blutbad's wife that Miesner had never met walked into the room. If Burkhardt was a non traditional Grimm, his friends were every bit as extraordinary. A Blutbad marrying a Fuchsbau and them both being close friends with Burkhardt was a testiment to the man's unorthodox ways. Meisner respected the man for his associations with them, plus his kindness towards Adalind, as much as his desire to do the right thing in any situation. "Glad you're all here. Take a look at this. It's sort of a Black Claw corporate structure."

Eve took it from there, '"These are the top Black Claw operatives that we know of, alive or dead, listed based on their position within the operation. The blank spots are positions we know exist but we don't know who's filling them."

"As you can see, Renard is near the top now," Meisner continued.

"The red 'Xs' are the ones we've killed," Trubel supplied as Burkhardt gave her but a quick glance before swiftly walking over to Eve.

He was agitated and Meisner could sense something else may have happened. "You said you thought something was happening with Adalind?" Burkhardt demanded of her.

"Diana was mentally contacting Adalind and I somehow intercepted it, like a twin telepathy experience," Eve cooly outlined.

"Sorta got her wires cross," Trubel stated.

"Did you go home? Was Adalind there?" Eve questioned the detective.

"Adalind left me," Nick responded in a stark voice full of pain, "and took Kelly with her." So, it's as I feared, Meisner thought to himself. BC was using Diana to get to Adalind, and therefore, Burkhardt all the while setting up Renard as the perfect family man.

"Oh, crap!" Trubel exclaimed with emotion. The younger Grimm's loyalty was admirable but they couldn't afford for it to cloud her judgement. This situation was far from desirable, and God knows Meisner wished for Diana, Adalind, and her son to be anywhere except where they were at this time, but hot headed decisions would only get them killed. Burkhardt was steamed enough for everyone and with good reason.

"Do you have any idea where Adalind and Kelly are?" Meisner asked him with the slightest hope she might have taken their son into hiding.

"My guess is Renard," Burkhardt spat.

"You're being here means you haven't killed him yet," Eve observed in a cold voice which drew a sharp look from Nick.

"Not yet," he acknowledge in a low and deadly tone.

"How do we get Kelly back?" The Fuchsbau, Rosalee he thought her name was, asked. This seemed a kind and sympathetic question, however it didn't escape his notice that she didn't ask how to rescue Adalind. Did they think she had another choice? Meisner wondered to himself. Back in Austria, he had had his own reservations about Adalind when Renard sent him to protect her. There had been rumors of a Royal baby for sale, still Meisner's opinion had changed over those several days he spent with her while they were on the run. No matter what Adalind's reasons were for being in Vienna so near the Royals, the baby inside her had stolen her heart. Meisner was there the night Diana was born, he saw Adalind fall in love with her daughter in a way that would never be erased from her being. No, Adalind didn't have a choice! If BC dangled her long-lost Diana in front of her, she would abandon all with the exception of her son to be with her daughter. This gut reaction flew through his mind without conscious thought, as a fear for Adalind and Kelly's safety gripped him.

"Not by going after Renard," he replied adamantly.

"Black Claw has gone through a lot of trouble to put him in that position," Trubel sighed.

"They've even created a family for him. Makes him more electable," Eve supplied without blinking.

"Well, electable or not, none of us are voting for him tomorrow," Monroe insisted, then said, "Just... for the record."

Burkhardt walked straight over to Meisner and demanded, "I need to know where Renard is and how well he's protected." Meisner hesitated knowing the knowledge would do him no good. What would he do if that was his own son? Did Burkhardt love Adalind or did he blame her for this? Either way, the man was too emotional to think correctly.

"We know where he is," Trubel interjected as he clenched his jaw. "Black Claw has him at a heavily guarded house in the northeast."

"You go after Renard there, you will not survive," Meisner tried to reason with the distraught father.

"Don't forget they have Kelly," Eve spoke in her ever calm voice, but Burkhardt never even turned her direction.

He got further agitated as he barked at Meisner, "I can't stand by and do nothing! They have my son!"

"You have no choice," he returned firmly while feeling for the Grimm.

"They will expect you to be emotional and they will take advantage of that," Eve continued without inflection.

Then Burkhardt did finally turn around and went up to her. "That's easy for you to say. He's not your kid," he responded with a glare.

"No he's not," Eve continued with her wide eyed expression. With that, Burkhardt turned on his heel and left with his friends.

As soon as they left the room Trubel pleaded, "We _have_ to help him."

"Not by doing something stupid," Meisner returned roughly. He hated this feeling of impotence. The inability to get to Adalind and her children was eating him up as well, but he knew better than to call an assault on BC's headquarters in Portland without a clear plan of attack or adequate numbers. It would all be for naught. "Keep an eye on him," Meisner ordered in a less harsh tone. Trubel left to follow Nick as he contemplated just how many of their pawns BC had taken so far in this game they were playing.

* * *

The election was underway with Renard in the lead as they continued their investigation into the one person in charge of it all, BC's top man. Eve was at an interface while he continued to pace back and forth between stations. He looked up as Trubel returned to command. "How'd it go?" Meisner asked.

"Renard called Nick last night," Trubel led in with. That got Eve's attention, as she rose, Trubel continued, "He went to go see him. Renard tried to convince him to join Black Claw. He didn't have much luck."

"How is Burkhardt handling all this?" Eve asked in a softer voice than she normally used. Once again a red flag was raised at the sound, but Meisner had other more immediate things to worry about. Stopping a rogue Wesen organization bent on world domination was one of them.

Giving Eve a brief hard stare Trubel responded, "As good as he can." She turned and walked away towards her quarters and, after a moments hesitation and glance at him, Eve followed after Trubel.

It was but three hours later when Burkhardt called to say they had a BC operative that had been sent to date his partner, Hank, and they were bringing her to HW. When they arrived, the unconscious woman was placed in the interrogation room and secured to a chair. She finally came around about thirty minutes later, began looking around frantically, and asked, "Where am I?"

"It doesn't matter where you are. What matters is what comes next," he stated without compromise.

That was Eve's cue, "Two roads diverged in the yellow wood and you cannot travel both."

"So which is it gonna be, " Trubel demanded.

The woman took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, "Occultatum Libera."

"Guess she chose the rough road," Trubel said with satisfaction. This time she seemed eager to witness Eve's parlor trick.

For Meisner, it was just another day at the office so he told them he was going to get some coffee. Instead he decided to go to command to see how the election turned out. With one look at the news feed, he sighed. BC had just successfully made another strategic move. Renard took the stand for his victory speech. Meisner pursed his lips thinking that he had trusted the half Zauberbiest to his chagrin. It would seem all those years working with the resistance had been nothing but another power play for Renard. His velvety words were every inch those of a politican, but the moment he introduced not only Diana but Adalind and her son with Burkhardt as his own, Meisner knew the last bit of the Grimm's restraint was gone. Burkhardt growled something under his breath as his fists clenched till his knuckles were white. Meisner shook his head. One look at Burkhardt and he knew the man would go on a rampage.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: To all my fellow mourners, let's have a moment of silence for a legend... Meisner had become my favorite character, second only to Adalind, and my heart is extremely sad. It would seem Meisner was, after all, only human. When HW was destroyed, Renard tried to recruit Meisner, but BC was for Wesen. Sean would have made an exception for Meisner but Bonaparte didn't. He wasn't a Grimm either b/c BC would've had a use for him if he was, so he was just one awesome man! Of course this will be the last Meisner POV. May the warrior RIP!

Chapter 9

"Renard wanted me to join Black Claw," Burkhardt growled, eyes glued to the screen where Renard pulled Adalind, with Kelly in her arms, into a hug and kissed the top of her head. Meisner's heart dropped for what must be going through the father's head at that moment.

He tried to reason, "I'm sure he did. Having you on their side would be very advantageous. Her, too." Meisner indicated Trubel. Burkhardt needed to know that what he was seeing was all a ploy.

"Why do they want us?" Trubel asked with doubt.

"To control Wesen who won't agree with their agenda," he countered. "Grimms have always been very good at that. Black Claw will use the system at first, getting elected into office. Once they're there, they'll start making changes. Lower level positions at first, power grid, fire department, then the police. They'll work their way up all the way to council members," he sighed, "commissioners, assistant district attorneys, heads of department."

"Zuri wasn't trying to recruit me," detective Griffin stated with understanding.

"No, she was just trying to figure out what kind of information you have," Meisner answered him. "They're going to try to take down everyone around the Grimm." He was speaking to Burkhardt's partner but hoped the Grimm understood why BC went after Adalind and his son. Probably why they placed Renard in such an ambitious position, since Burkhardt and him had worked together as allies for years. The aces in the hole, so to speak. Glancing back in Burkhardt's direction, Meisner continued, "This won't be a war you can fight alone. Friends make you vulnerable." Meisner stated the facts without criticism. That fact that this Grimm had a loyal ring of Wesen and Kehrseite around him was admirable and a true sign of the man's integrity, still this was his Achilles's heel as well. Comprehension seemed to fully hit the Grimm.

Eve approached and broke through the somber strain with, "I've gotten as much as out of her as I could."

"Is she...uh," detective Griffin tentatively began to inquire.

"She's not dead," Eve returned coldly.

"Good. I think," Griffin replied with a look at Burkhardt.

"What'd you get?" Meisner demanded.

"She was recruited by Black Claw five and a half months ago, specifically to go after Hank. She suggested that it wasn't a decision she was happy with, but she said she was sorry but I think she was just trying to play on my sympathies," Eve maintained in her cool, flat voice.

"Bet that didn't go down so well," Trubel snidely remarked.

"What about contacts?" Meisner asked pointedly.

"She resisted but I convinced her to dig deeper," Eve responded in a sinister tone.

"Sounds uncomfortable," Trubel observed

"It was," Eve stated with a hint of enjoyment in the lilt of her voice. Then she turned to him and continued, "She gave up a name, Bonaparte."

"Conrad Bonaparte? He's here?" Meisner queried. The plot was thickening and an opportunity to strike at the heart of BC may have presented itself.

"You know him?" Burkhardt questioned.

With a humorless chuckle, he reached down to the interface before him to bring up what information they had on this ringleader. "He's one of the founders of Black Claw. If he's here, he's running the operation," Meisner supplied while displaying the file onscreen and plugging the man's picture at the top of the BC diagram.

Griffin asked Eve, "What are you going to do with Zuri?"

"She's being taken to... a secure site," she replied vaguely while Hank's phone began to ring.

"Griffin," he answered. "It's dispatch..." then he exclaimed, "3045 Hudson St? Yeah, thanks."

When he ended the call Trubel asked, "There something wrong with that address?"

"Yeah, it's mine!" He returned with a look at his partner.

They both made to leave as Burkhardt said, "I'll check in with you later."

Now, what was Bonaparte's move? Meisner asked himself having no doubt this was just part of the game.

* * *

"Conrad Bonaparte, very little we know about him. What we do know isn't very helpful. He's in his forties, maybe fifties. He lives in Prague, Paris, Makkah, take your pick. He's either from Moracco, Eygpt, Budapest, or Iran," he informed Eve.

"So we know nothing of value," she returned.

"We do know he's a very bad man," Meisner observed.

"I got something you should see," Trubel stated walking up to them. "This is the laptop Nick brought in. It belongs to Tony Telemonti, the guy who stole Hank's phone. We know Black Claw is watching everybody, but now they're making sure everybody has them. Every single one of these photos was shared over the internet."

"This is more than just surveillance," he replied as Trubel's phone went off. It was Monroe so he said, "Take it."

"Monroe, I'm with Eve and Meisner. You're on speaker," Trubel answered.

"Yeah? That's great. I didn't even know if I would get you," Monroe responded.

"You okay?"Trubel asked.

"Uh, yeah. No, I just had a little confrontation with the BLack Claw guys stationed outside my house," Monroe informed them.

"You need clean up?" Eve inquired, once again in her little too eager voice.

"No, No I didn't go that far, not that I didn't want to, but uh, look Rosalee got their license plate," Monroe continued.

"Give it to us," Meisner instructed.

"Okay so Oregon plates 483WHF"

"Are they still out there?" asked Meisner.

"No, no they took off when I, you know, when out there to have a little chat," Monroe sighed. "I just thought you should have this. Plus the next that I see them, I'd like to address them by their first names," Monroe finished.

"Let you know what we find out," Meisner agreed.

"Sounds good." Then the call was ended.

Eve was at an interface searching their database for the plates. "It's in our system. The truck is registered at 521 Skyline Dr."

"It's the same address we got off the Black Claw operative we killed in Nevada," he stated when a picture of the Hundjager, that he fought at Diana's safe house, appeared on the display. "Map it. Find out everything about it and what's around it."

"Then we go see them," Trubel concluded with satisfaction.

Burkhardt returned to HW less than two hours later with a new lead. "521 Skyline Dr, we know it," Trubel informed him.

"How?" asked the detective.

"We got the address off one of Black Claw's that we killed in Nevada," Meisner supplied.

"And it's the same address registered to the truck parked outside Monroe's house," Trubel continued.

"The property is rural. Five acres, two-story house, three points of entry. Front, south side , and the back," Eve detailed.

"If that's where they've got Hank, you've got to be very careful," Meisner admonished him.

"Just give me Trubel and Eve," Burkhardt requested.

It was a gamble to send so many assets to one location, but he had confidence in the Grimm "Okay," he agreed with a nod.

"Let's go," stated Eve. Meisner's eyes followed the three of them as they departed hoping they weren't heading straight into an ambush. Forty minutes later, he realized they weren't the ones in peril.

All perimeter alarms for HW activated simultaneously, as his gaze fell with dread on the internal security monitors. Wesen of all sorts were teeming through the halls with machine guns trained at the ready. Lights flashed and members of HW emerged from their quarters, just to be mowed down where they stood. Meisner ordered to all personnel in the command center, "We have been breached and are under attack. To the defense!"

The coordinated attack of BC was swift and deadly, but Meisner would go down fighting. He joined the fray taking down any opponent that he could. They had invaded HIS place, lain siege to HIS purpose, and they would pay. Several figures emerged from command, as Meisner doubled back. He disarmed the first guy with a well-placed kick and knocked him down as another came at him from behind. Exchanging blows back and forth between these two alternately, a third joined the fight. Finally the first Wesen remained down and he broke the neck of the second with a nice crack, as the last guy rose once more. Charging Meisner, the remaining BC solider went down when a double footed kick to his chest sent him several feet down the hall.

Breathing heavily, Meisner surveyed the damage with a heavy heart. For all his training and strategy, he had been outplayed, outmaneuvered, he comprehended. Sending both Trubel and Eve with Burkhardt had been a fatal mistake. One he would most likely not survive. Leaning down to an older member of their organization that had fallen in the command center, he sighed. The man had just celebrated the birth of his granddaughter, one that he keep at a distance for his family's protection. That granddaughter would never know him now.

His phone rang, disturbing his grief, and a voice stated, "Go ahead, answer it." Looking up to a very familiar face, Meisner registered a new level of betrayal, as Renard slowly walked towards him. "You might want to tell him what happened."

"Eve," he responded into the phone.

"Are we too late?" She asked in an affected voice.

"Yes. Don't come back," he warned while Renard's expression grew hard.

"Are you safe?" Eve questioned.

"No," Meisner said simply. "I'm with Sean Renard. I think he wants to kill me." Through the phone, he heard Trubel yell, "No!" He prayed Eve and Burkhardt would restrain the younger impulsive Grimm from doing anything stupid as the line went dead. "You chose the wrong side, Sean."

"Oh, I never choose sides. You shouldn't either," Renard answered in his smooth tone. Still trying to manipulate the situation, Sean was more of a snake than he had realized. Oh Meisner knew the man was slippery, but he was hoping some shred of loyalty and decency existed in the half-Zauberbiest. He was wrong. "It doesn't have to end here," Sean continued to try and convince him, but Meisner knew this organization Sean had aligned himself with better than Renard did. He had studied them, making the destruction of their agenda his life's work, and now that life had been betrayed by a former comrade.

"Black Claw is Wesen only," he replied to Sean with a sympathy at his naivety. The new mayor had accepted the carrot they had dangled in front of him, not grasping the consequences of his ambition.

"For you, I think we would make an exception," Renard returned smugly. However, another voice rang out in the room that wiped that look off his face.

"There are no exceptions," said a Zauberbiest that had just entered the room. Bonaparte extended his clawed hand as Meisner felt a force constricting his neck and squeezing his head as if it was in a vice.

"That's enough," Sean said firmly.

"Stay out of it," Bonaparte growled back before Meisner could hear the rushing of blood in his ears. Locking eyes with Renard, he registered that Sean was starting to understand what BC had required of him. His soul, and as Bonaparte said, there were no exceptions.

"I said that's enough," Sean stated with conviction, but the pressure only increased as his head felt it would explode at any second. Now Sean understood, Meisner thought in the moment of clarity that comes before death. Renard looked over at the Zauberbiest and back at him, but Meisner never broke eye contact knowing only Sean could end this for him, if he could find the compassion in his heart. He saw the moment of decision in the clench of Sean's jaw, just before he whipped out his sidearm and granted Meisner his release. No more wars, no more conflict. It would be done, finished.

The sound of the gunshot rang in his bleeding ears just as the bullet entered his chest and his vision gave way to a blessed oblivion.

The End.

** Tears brim my eyes as I type these last lines of tribute to the solider, the warrior, the protector, Martin Meisner**


End file.
